BALTIMORE—Even though the Boston Red Sox are not as good as the team that won 108 games and the World Series, the Orioles still aren’t close to being competitive with them.
This year’s Orioles are only marginally better than the team that lost a franchise-record 115 games in 2018 and are just 3-6 against the Red Sox.
On Friday night, they were blasted, 13-2, and with Chris Sale pitching, the Orioles’ chances didn’t look great on Saturday.
Sale, who hasn’t been the pitcher he’s been in the past, allowed two runs to the Orioles in six innings, but those two runs weren’t enough in a 7-2 loss to the Red Sox.
The Orioles, who struck out 14 times against Sale in eight innings on their way to a record-setting 22 strikeouts in a 12-inning loss on May 8, fanned 10 times against him on Saturday. They totaled 15 strikeouts, equaling their high for a nine-inning game. They also committed two errors and a number of mental mistakes.
“The bottom line is we have to play almost perfect to win against good clubs,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Last night was embarrassing and tonight was just real sloppy defensively.
“Walking the leadoff hitter in the ninth inning in a two-run game, falling asleep on defense in the outfield, not catching the ball on the infield, breaking too early in a stolen base attempt which allows a run, not catching the ball on a stolen base attempt — a lot of things that we can’t do because we can’t overcome them. We’re not talented enough offensively, we don’t have shutdown guys on the mound to be able to win. So, we have to play almost perfect, and we just didn’t play well.”
The game was scoreless through five innings. In the sixth, Dylan Bundy, who had allowed four hits in the first five innings, gave up hits to the first four Red Sox hitters before leaving.
In five-plus innings, Bundy, who’s 3-8, allowed three runs, one unearned.
“I made a couple mistakes to a couple of hitters there and they were able to get the ball out in the outfield,” Bundy said. “But for the most part, I was making most of my pitches there and they were just able to squeeze them through the infield and it didn’t go our way.”
Sale, who gave up just three hits through five innings, gave up two runs to the Orioles in the sixth.
J.D. Martinez, who hit two home runs on Friday night, had another in the seventh against Richard Bleier.
In the eighth, the Orioles had a chance, with runners on first and third with two outs, but pinch-hitter Chris Davis struck out looking to end the inning.
Miguel Castro and his teammates gave up three add-on runs to Boston in the ninth.
“I’m going to steal a Joe Maddon term here I heard when he got to Tampa, ‘We’re taking inventory of what we have,’” Hyde said.
“That’s the way to look at it. We’re taking inventory of the players that we have, who’s going to be around for us when we’re good. Just evaluating our players. Our guys are getting an incredible opportunity and at times I feel like we take advantage of them for the most part.
“Days like the last couple days, guys haven’t. They need to start appreciating the opportunity that they’re getting. We’ve just got to clean up a lot of things defensively and on the mound.”
Hess moved to bullpen: Hyde has decided to move starter David Hess to the bullpen. Hess, who has not won in his 12 starts since pitching 6 1/3 hitless innings on April 1 in Toronto, is 1-9 with a 7.20 ERA.
Hess was briefly sent to the bullpen in late April, but then Alex Cobb was put back on the 10-day injured list, and Hess returned to the rotation before throwing in relief.
“At that time, we felt like development-wise, it would be the best thing for him right now,” Hyde said.
“Now we’re back to that same feeling. I just think it’s going to be good for David. I think his stuff is going to tick up in more of a short spurt than five or six innings … I think it will be easier for him instead of pacing himself, [to] go out and attack three hitters to get through an inning.”
Rogers gets a start: Josh Rogers — who pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits in the Orioles’ 13-2 loss to Boston on Friday — will start Wednesday in Oakland in place of Hess.
When Rogers was called up, he had an 8.51 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A Norfolk.
“I had two decent starts down at Triple-A before I got called up, so I probably had a little bit of momentum,” Rogers said.
“I was just throwing the ball down the middle. It’s as simple as that. I was throwing too many strikes and not enough quality strikes … It was a real difficult month, month-and-a-half for a little bit.”
Andrew Cashner, who was supposed to start Friday but didn’t because of a blister on his right middle finger, will start Monday at Oakland if his finger is OK.
Hyde said he’s comfortable with Cashner, Bundy, John Means and Gabriel Ynoa, and he’ll experiment with the fifth starter.
“We’re open to a lot of different things,” Hyde said. “We’re going to give Josh a look. I think we’re going to be playing with that spot all year long.”
Yacabonis back again: Jimmy Yacabonis is back for his third stint with the Orioles. Yacabonis, who began the year with the Orioles, was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on April 28, recalled on May 11 and optioned again on May 16.
“We obviously need somebody,” Hyde said. “Jimmy can go more than an inning. He’s thrown the ball well the last couple of times at Norfolk, so we need the body.”
In 11 games with the Orioles, Yacabonis had a 6.11 ERA. Yacabonis was 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA in 11 games at Norfolk. He wasn’t surprised the Orioles recalled him.
“They told me to be prepared,” Yacabonis said. “I’m always ready to go.”
Last year, the Orioles experimented with Yacabonis as a starter.
“It’s good to know that I have that role, and that I’m solidified in that role as a bullpen guy,” Yacabonis said. “I think that coming in those late situations in Norfolk, in those tight situations and getting some big out really gave me that edge that I lost last year. It gave me my edge back and my confidence back in my stuff.”
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This is becoming beyond unbelievable! Hyde comes out and says “We’re not talented enough offensively...” Then, later he says “We’ve just got to clean up a lot of thing defensively and on the mound.” That covers just about everything!
The way I read what he’s saying is “This is almost beyond fixable... maybe let’s start over.”
I’d start with the coaches. Seventy games into the season (plus all of Spring training) and the players still can’t execute basic plays is certainly ‘telling’ about their lack of teaching ability. It’s either them or the players the O’s have don’t have the ‘smarts’ enough to learn... case in point, Chris Davis. Just saying...
Ekim: I would say that it is the players not the coaches. This is one case where we should get rid of some of the players and keep the coaches, not vice versa. I really dislike our hitters always swinging for the fences and not trying to hit the ball to all fields. Since they don't try this, I feel that the players just don't listen or worse yet, know how to hit to all fields. Maybe some of them should go back to Little League and learn these basics.
I agree somewhat with Ekim (and Hyde). We knew our pitching was going to be bad, and our offense lackluster at best, but there’s no excuse for mental lapses and mistakes defensively or on the base paths. These guys are playing just to stay in the majors but they aren’t great fundamentally. Somebody needs to step up in the clubhouse and on the field - and I don’t mean riding around in a golf cart with a bull horn. Do the O’s have a vocal leader in the clubhouse who can demand better play out of the young guys and joirneymen?
A suggestion about the defense: how about a little less shuffling and more stability?
Platoon the catchers
Put Mancini on 1st and leave him there.
Put Villar at 2nd and leave him there.
Put Martin at SS and leave him there.
Platoon Ruiz and Alberto at 3B and leave them there.
Every game I'm hearing how the Birds lead the league in shifting. Maybe it's time to ease up a bit and let the infielders settle in to their positions first.
The outfield is a problem because, outside of Santander, I don't like any of them but, for now:
If/when Smith comes back put him in left and leave him there. Until then, put Stevie in LF and leave him there.
I don't like Broxton but, for now put him in CF and leave him there. If/when Smith Jr. comes back put Stevie in CF and leave him there.
Put Santander in RF and leave him there.
That's about all you can do for now until Hays, Diaz, Mountcastle, McCoy, RUTSCH, etc. are ready. Let's face it, the future of Baltimore Baseball isn't in Baltimore now.
Little known fact: minor league scouting cupboard is bare. How do you trade for players when no analytics until this year and no feet on the ground watching potential pickups. Take a look at Oriole front office personnel. Tour guides are listed but only a few scouts. The Birds deserve their failure; the fans don't.
Very disheartening loss, but I’m glad to hear Hyde finally say that our players are basically stinking it up. I feel bad for him because you know he wants to boot some of these guys, but there isn’t much talent in Norfolk to replace them. I don’t feel it’s fair to blame Hyde, even for the mental m
mistakes, per the “can’t make chicken salad” adage.
Ya know, Bobby Dickerson woulda had this defense problem licked long ago, ya feel me?
When he had Hardy--yes. With Beckham,(last year)Alberto,Villar--no.
JJ was a smooth operator. Villar and Alberto are what they are. Villar has long been a guy who plays lackadaisical defense and from what I’ve seen out of Alberto he’s probably even worse in that regard. Martin is a AAA level player coming out of the rule 5 so you get what you get with him. We just don’t have the personnel on the field right now but it’d be nice to at least see a guy who goes out there and does the right thing every time. Alberto and Villar play lazy sloppy D. Both players are nothing but stop gaps and I’m sure Villar won’t be back next year anyway.
Sometimes other teams cut players or leave them available for the Rule 5 Draft for a reason. Lack of roster space is one reason. Another reason is that a player isn't good.
Maybe Hyde should look in the mirror for a minute. What in the heck is he thinking putting in Davis to pinch hit for Broxton in the bottom of the 8th with 2 out and 2 on and the game is still within reach? All the while, Chance Sisco is sitting on the bench? What does Davis do? He strikes out looking at the last to pitches split the heart of the plate. Duh! That's what Chris Davis does Mr. Hyde!!!
What was Hyde thinking at that moment? This guy manages about as well as his team plays.
If it had been the 9th inning they may have used Cisco. Teams don’t like to use the backup catcher as a pinch hitter because they want him available in case the starting catcher gets hurt. Of course they could have left Cisco in the game at IB so he would have been available. I’m guessing Hyde was looking for the Hail Mary and figuring Davis is more likely to hit a home run than Cisco. Of course to hit a home run it helps to swing the bat. While on the subject of Davis since they aren’t going to release him, can they at least convince him to go to the minors for a couple weeks to possibly get straightened out? Its a long shot, but what they are doing at the MLB level just isn’t working
You try to win the game now, this is the same mentality that kept Britton on the bench in our last playoff game, gotta give yourself a chance to win, 4 yrs ago pinch hitting with CD made sense, today, you pinch hit for him....fact....
Of course 4 years ago Davis would have been in the starting lineup, Adam Jones would have been in CF and the Orioles wouldn’t be 21-49.
I didn't see Davis' at bat but the outcome is always OBVIOUS. Why do they keep kicking a dead horse? He's DONE! I'll say it again. "The O's have to pay him, but they don't have to have to play him" So they had one .170 hitter hitting for another .170 hitter. Let's not forget, Crush can't hit even ordinary Right Handers......................
For me the king sloppy defensive player is Hanser Alberto. This guy just plays sloppy lazy defense. The way he goes after groundballs sometimes is just maddening. He has a solid hit tool but he doesn’t get on base all that well or have much power. Combine all that with his lazy defense and there’s not much there.
Davis continues to look at the third strike.
He is done. Put Mancini where he should be, first base, and let Davis collect splinters.
If they would of had a regular right fielder & Mancini at 1st they wouldn’t have given up a triple to Betts, Givens gives up (to the 9 hitter) his first HR to tie the game, come on man.....
9/10th innings have been a micro-cosim of the O’s season, poor pitching, poor defense, I again question their baseball IQ’s, Santander’s indecision allows 1st -3rd when a 1/2 decent through gets the guy out at 3rd, I feel like I’m watching JV baseball, if Hyde wouldn’t have gotten tossed in the 4th I’d be curious to see his reaction to this train wreck ....still love the O’s...
There's no reason to get so bent out of shape over this cast of minor league caliber players. They're not part of the future. Placeholders, that's their role. Keep referring back to Houston's rebuild. The Astros had a losing record 6 seasons in a row. They lost 106 in 2011 and were WORSE the next two seasons. The Orioles are just in season 3 of losing records and season 2 of (no doubt) 100+ losses. Elias and Hyde are mostly dealing with players who they DID NOT choose. The players Elias has chosen have done pretty darn well considering their previous track records. Later this Summer, you'll get to see truly new faces somewhere in the depths of the minor leagues. Those are the guys worth your focus.
The Orioles are on a pace to win 47 games this year, the same amount as last year. I think the players are putting on a good face, but are already mentally, and some physically exhausted, before we reach the 81 game plateau. I live near Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, so I don't have the opportunity to go to games, like I did, when I lived ten miles from Camden Yards, and had a full season 82 game plan for twenty years. It has become very painful to watch every game until the end, recently. It will be interesting to see what happens on the trade deadline. The Orioles need to eat Chris Davis's contract, regardless of how much we like him personally. He is holding up progress. Same with Trumbro. I hope Martin can generate some offense because his defense is awesome; as good, or better than Machado was at shortstop. The poor attendance at home games is indicative of their on-field performance. I hope the fans, and players, don't give up what the new regime is trying to accomplish. I won't.